IMHO: Why Phillip won and Jessica didn’t

I just finished watching one of the most explosive finales in Idol history and I mean for the entire 11 seasons. I was one of the millions waiting with the rest of the Idol universe to see who will be crowned as the champ of Season 11.

At the finale results show, audiences were treated to the best performance of the season and arguably the best performance on the show- ever (yes, even rivalling Adam Lambert’s duet with Kiss)  – the duet between the original Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday and 16-year old phenom Jessica Sanchez. (Check out this link to view the performance)

Viewers were also treated to perfomances from Aerosmith (WOW) and music legends Reba McIntyre, Neil Diamond and John Fogerty.

If audiences were to judge based on the number of moments given to the Top 2, there was no wonder that Jessica was given more exposure and more time to shine, perhaps leading viewers to believe that she was going to be the eventual winner, but at the end of the show, of course, consistent frontrunner Phillip Phillips was crowned the winner, making him the show’s fifth straight white dude to win the honors since the show’s Season 7 David Cook.

Some would say that Jessica had the upper hand because she was more vocally powerful than Phillip and could wow the audiences with her powerbelting. Phillip took the more laid back route, and chose songs that suited his voice and style perfectly. They were so different and that was what made the finale so interesting to watch.

But here’s why I think Phillip won.

1. The show is called American Idol and between the two, Phillip is the true blue American. Jessica is a mix of Filipino, Mexican and American (because of her citizenship and upbringing) descent so its a bit too liberal for Americans to vote for her.

2. Phillip has a very solid fan base. While some would say he was the underdog in the finale, if one looks back at the entire run of the season, he was never once in danger of being eliminated from the show.

3. He is gorgeous. Let’s face it, American Idol is viewed by mostly young girls and these young girls — while they would admire Jessica for her talents and achievements, would still eventuallly vote for the guy who makes their little hearts go a flutter

4. Phillip is just the right age. When Cook and Archuleta faced off in the finale of Idol back in Season 7, the mom votes turned out to be the clincher for the rocker. Moms who were interviewed for the show thought that David A. had the vocal chops to make it big in the music world but felt guilty about having a crush on him because he was so young. Cook got the votes because he was legal. So is Phillip, and since he’s the only guy contestant, who would get the votes?

5. He is a charmer. Some say that Phillip will turn out to be another Kris Allen, but I strongly disagree. When Kris Allen won, it was like all the world spun out of its axis, because come on! Kris is a great guy and a good competitor but he does not have any real standout quality that would catapult him to stardom. Phillip has a great personality and an individuality that could separate him from the pack. Take note that even during the finale, he was wearing his usual long sleeved shirt on top of his regular one like it wasn’t a big deal. Typical non-conformist rebel attitude that has worked for the careers of indie rockers throughout history.Plus, his humility and aw shucks charm always sucks viewers in, myself included.

6. Leave us not forget that the dude is also very talented. He is a musician through and through and while he is not the best singer among the lot, he has the maturity to play to his strengths. He has a great sense in choosing songs and one of the factors that contributed to his victory is choosing an anthem song for his first single whereas Jessica chose a more funky R&B song that fit her voice like a glove but did not have the same impact or message that Phillip’s song had.

I believe that Jessica is awesome and is wicked talented. She is skilled beyond her years and I think that aside from being an Asian, the thing that cost her the victory was the song choice. She is still young at 16-years old and perhaps still lacks the perspective of the general impact of the songs that she will sing. After tonight, there will be a lot of people who will want to sign her up and I hope that one of them is Jimmy Iovine because he is an excellent mentor who can guide Jessica and give her a long and sustainable music career. I do believe that Jessica has the makings of the next American chart topper and Grammy superstar. A bit of polish on her performances and she’s ready to fill arenas with her performances. I think she can sell more tickets than J.Lo once she’s seasoned and ready. She has that kind of potential.

Being a Filipino, I am sad that Jessica won but in my heart of hearts, I already consider her being in the Top 2 and her awesome performances today already a victory in its own right. If those songs were not a statement, then I don’t know what is. I have high hopes for her career, and hope that she will get from the Grammy’s the trophy that she missed on Idol.

I don’t feel bad losing to Phillip. He’s a great guy and a true artist. Despite my earlier reservations (with the judges all being too easy to please), this still turned out to be a great season. I just don’t know what will happen to the next season with Aerosmith scheduled to go on tour and J.Lo planning to go on tour as well.

To cap off this entry, here’s Phillip’s moment of victory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ifNFk2M4YQ

Safe: A Review

There are two things that audiences expect from a Jason Statham movie: 1. heart pounding action and 2. elaborate car chases that put them at the edge of their seats. On these two counts, Safe does deliver. As for whether or not the movie reaches the level of Statham’s greatest offerings, I’m not quite sure.

Ah Mei is an elementary student from China who is gifted on the subject of numbers. Her extraordinary talents catch the attention of the Chinese Triad so they take her hostage to use her as a human database for their operations in the United States. Luke Wright is a reformed hitman who ekes out a living as a mixed martial artist for the underground circuit. During a fight, he inadvertedly costs the Russian Mafia a pretty penny by knocking down and permanently injuring a rising star whom the Mafia has bet millions of dollars on. As punishment, the Mafia kills his wife and keeps him alive, but shadows his every move and kills anyone he ever gets close to.  Backed into a wall, Luke tries to kill himself but not before he spies a little girl being chased by mobsters on the subway. The girl turns out to be Ah Mei, who survives an ambush on her car by the Russians to get hold of a set of numbers she has memorized, numbers so precious that they unlock a safe with millions of dollars and an incriminating disc that could put an end to the Chinese Triad.

The plot for Safe actually has great potential with the amount of conspiracies and double crosses integrated into its main story. Aside from the gangster warfare between the Russians and the Chinese in New York, corrupt policemen also join the fray by selling their loyalty to the higherst bidder. I got a kick out of seeing Robert John Burke, who plays Bart Bass in one of my guilty pleasures Gossip Girl as Chief Wolf, one of the most bad ass cops I’ve seen on the big screen in a while. Director and screenwriter Boaz Yakin, who incidentally wrote the screenplay for Prince of Persia really dug deep into his experiences as a New Yorker to come up with such an intricate plotline.

The fight choreography, which I read was one of Statham’s main criteria for choosing movies to star in, was also top notch, ranging from hand to hand combat, grapling, stunts, gunbattles and all sorts of ass-kickery. However, I confess that I fell asleep during the earlier parts of the movie while the conflicts were still being established. I just felt that the transitioning was lacking in coherence, especially when the film was going back and forth between China and the US , and between scenes featuring Ah Mei and Luke.

As a result, the movie read like a two-act play, wherein the first part was dull and boring and relied mainly on lengthy dialogues and negotiations. During the second act, however, the filmmakers pushed the pedal to the action and held nothing back in establishing that Safe is indeed an action movie and that there should be no doubt that they know what they are doing.

All in all, there was really nothing safe about the movie. I’m still on the fence as to whether or not I loved it. I just felt that there was something missing but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, as yet.

Gossip Girl 5: Finale Review

Be warned. Some spoilers ahead!

Fans have seen a lot happen this season. The development of the Dan-Blair arc, Blair’s love trifecta featuring Dan, Chuck and Prince Louis fighting over the Queen B, her marriage (and divorce), Serena being Gossip Girl, the resurfacing of familiar faces (read: villains) like Georgina Sparks, Diana Payne, Jack Bass, William van der Woodsen, and even the long deceased Bart Bass.

I must admit that this season had a lot of highs and lows. Highs: Blair’s whirlwind Princess stint, Chuck’s grand sacrifice, and as a Dair shipper, the budding of the romance between Lonely Boy and Queen B. Also, there was a throwback to previous seasons with the gang teaming up to discover Diana’s real secret, which turned out to be Bart Bass alive and in hiding.

Lows: when Blair finally chooses Dan, they seemed to have gotten boring like the fight suddenly went out of these individually feisty characters. The Serena as Gossip Girl angle was kind of lame, as well as the fake Charlie Rhodes arc. It never really got my vote. Also, Dan’s long and unruly hair is a bit of a turnoff no matter how smart he is.

Anyways,  there was a real buzz over the finale espcially with the promo promising that Blair will finally choose between her two remaining love interests. She being with Dan at the time and with no real reason for them to break up (except perhaps Serena seducing Dan out of spite), I would have thought that the decision would have had to be long and agonizing for the Upper East Side princess but as it turned out, the episode, which should have been charged with a lot of “moments” that would keep viewers guessing and excited for the next season, actually turned out to be a dud.

BEHIND THE SCENES. Leighton Meester (left) and Penn Badgely (right) share a light moment with designer Vera Wang who designed the wedding gown for Blair Waldorf’s nuptials with Prince Louis.

Here’s why. The Dair pairing was severed abruptly like the writers did not care what would happen to Dan, making Blair appear selfish (which she sometimes is) but makes no sense at all. I do understand that Chuck is her soulmate and all but I would have thought that she, being friends with Dan prior to their relationship would not forget Dan’s kindness and loyalty enough to explain to him why she would choose Chuck.  Second, Serena’s character is really going downhill. She casts Dan aside countless times but when he suddenly falls for another girl, she is in love with him again? And this petty jealousy actually extends to her demolition job on her half sister Lola, who accidentally steals the thunder from her as UES’s It Girl. At the end of the episode, we find herself back to her old ways, whoring herself out for coke. Duh, what’s new? Nate is improving a bit, and at least now, he is portrayed as something other than a boy toy who’s only in the show because he’s pretty. Although old habits die hard and he still trusts his friends too much that he inadvertedly drops major secrets without knowing it. Its kind of funny, really. Plus, Dan going to Georgina to seek revenge at the end of the episode was also kind of cliche. Really, Georgina? Throughout the season, its as if she’s become the go to villain of the writers to cause mischief among the lives of Manhattan’s elite. Bart Bass’s treachery is nothing new and I think the final season of Gossip Girl will just be a rehash of the time when Chuck was left with his father’s company.

Anyhow,  the only bright cloud I see is the re-emergence of Jack Bass, my favorite anti-hero of the series. I would have preferred Blair to be on her own for the bit just to find herself before she committed to a guy and get herself back together first after all that has happened to her. The writers, I believe chickened out of the Dair ship and changed their minds as soon as they put Penn Badgely and Leighton Meester’s characters together. Their biggest mistake, in my opinion was really not committing to the storyline, or maybe they ran out of room to write — who knows?

All in all, this may yet be the worst finale for the show in its entire five seasons. Previously, viewers were always treated with cliffhangers, but this time around, there was really nothing new, nothing fresh and nothing to look forward to. This is particularly bad timing for the show which has fought tooth and nail to have a last and final season.  If this is an indication of the next season, then I’m guessing that more viewers will lose interest in the show, no matter how many ships it sets sail (Dair, Chair, Derena, Serenate, Nola…) and this is just too bad because the show really has potential.

The Woman in Black: A Belated Review

In Daniel Radcliffe’s first movie outing after the Harry Potter movie franchise, he takes on the role of young solicitor Arthur Kipps, a widowed father of a little boy named Joseph.  Kipps, whose career is on the rocks after his wife died of childbirth, is given a final chance by his firm to work on the estate of a certain Mrs. Alice Drablow. Among Drablow’s properti es is a haunted mansion at the end of the marshes called Eel Marsh, where a vengeful spirit of a woman in black reportedly appears. But from the moment Arthur sets foot on the town, he is given the cold shoulder by the locals, pushing him to delve into the mysterious estate all the more. As he tries to find out the history of the house’s former occupants,  the woman in black haunts him, and child suicides begin anew in a town that has already  lost countless children to the ghost.

This horror did great in the box office a couple of months back, and for good reason. Adopted from a book with the same title written by Susan Hill, the movie, set in the early 1900s was everything that a supernatural horror should be. It mainly focused on its lead character, with most of the scenes featuring Radcliffe alone in the haunted mansion, but the manner in which the spookiness (which was the general tone of the movie) was executed, was perfection.

The movie proceeds at a very leisurely pace, taking its time to develop the story, and giving moments to each important scene. However, the pacing does not leave room for doubt that there is going to be a major revelation to watch out for as the film progresses. It sort of felt like The Others because viewers are given a sense that there is something going on beyond what is happening and this gives them something to look forward to. The pacing also leaves the viewers room to speculate and form their own theories about the suicides while getting scared sh*tless with the ghoul’s surprise appearances.

But what really sealed the deal for me was the small details like the props they used to accentuate the general feel of creepiness at the house. The strange looking toys and the wind up dolls at the nursery while the wind raged on outside was sheer genius. It was very subtle but effective, which just goes to show that movies don’t always have to be razzle dazzle and CGI. I can hardly remember being this scared watching a horror movie, as I’ve gotten used to the tricks that filmmakers pull to scare up a scream from unsuspecting audiences.

GETTING CHUMMY? The Woman in Black looks over the shoulder of an unsuspecting Arthur Kipps, while he tries to solve the mystery behind the hauntings.

While there may be some inconsistencies in the movie (in terms of the state of Nathaniel’s corpse in one scene), these are quite minor and and forgivable and does not negate the merit of the film’s overall result. The ending is also one of the selling points of the movie as it may be interpreted differently by different viewers. I, for one, was suckered into watching the movie because a friend was unsure of how to the take the ending. I would like to believe that it was happy.

The Woman in Black was a great watch. Not only does one get his fill of scares but it is also a thinking movie that gets the brain cells going. All in all, as  mystery enveloped in a horror, this was a great feature from director James Watkins. Now, I shall try to get a hold of the literature to see if it creeps me out even more.

Unknown: A Belated Review

This movie has been in my TBW (to be watched) pile for quite some time now but I haven’t really gotten around to watching it until today. What seemed like Taken 2.0 in the beginning turned out to be a  mile a minute thrill ride featuring a conspiracy that crosses continents and is nothing less than one would expect from the actor who played Bryan Mills, Qui Gon Jin and Zeus himself — Liam Neeson.

Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) arrives in Berlin with his wife Liz (January Jones) for the first time to speak before a biotechnology conference sponsored by Saudi Prince Shada. After they arrive at the hotel, he realizes that he left his briefcase, which contains his passport and other documents at the airport so he rushes to retrieve it. Unfortunately, he gets into a car accident and wakes up at a hospital without any idea of what happened. When he begins to remember who he is, he finds his wife together with a man (Aidan Quinn) who is claiming to be the true Martin Harris. With the help of the taxi driver who saved his life (Diane Kruger), he tries to piece together the mystery behind the curious incident as the people he begins to meet along the way are picked off one by one by hired assassins.

Unknown was great in the sense that it had a great plot to begin with, although it was a bit reminiscent of The Net (Sandra Bullock) involving identity theft, with some elements of Mission Impossible with the imminent threat against the lead characters. But it was still original in its pacing and presentation, helped along by the setting (Berlin), which gave the movie a unique feel because it was in Europe.

There was great action throughout the movie and cool car chases that involved a lot of high end European taxis (Mercedes, I think) and several assassins that were surprisingly bested by a scientist (Neeson) and an illegal immigrant (Kruger). At some point of the movie, I was beginning to ask myself how they were able to manage evading the hit squad by just their wits, and excellent driving skills (Neeson was driving like Statham in The Transporter) but this issue was cleared towards the end of the movie.

Unknown may be a little less cool than Taken (which I believe is Neeson’s best movie) but it was great nonetheless. I could just kick myself for waiting so long to see but now that I have, I am glad to give it my seal of approval.

My mom’s coffee (aka An open letter to my mom)

Dear Mom,

I know you don’t really read my blog that much because you don’t know how to use the internet, but I think that you already know much of what I’m about to say.

Thank you mom, because every morning, even after you get home late from work, you get up early to prepare my baon, because you worry that I might get sick from eating burned food if you leave the cooking to me. You make me coffee, the best blend in the world, every day even now that I am full grown because you don’t want me to go to work like a zombie.

You work six days a week but on your days off, you hardly rest. You want to do the laundry even when we tell you we will do it. You cook, you clean, you do everything so we can take a break from a busy week (as if you haven’t had it tough yourself).

You are stubborn and you want to do things your own way, you nag and you’re strict but not stubborn enough not to keep an open mind, not naggy enough that we refuse to listen, and not strict enough to be uncompromising.

Mom, you have been through a lot. You have sacrificed most of your life to make sure that our needs are met. While we have had to endure a lot at an early age, when most of our friends were just goofing off, we did not feel resentment or deprivation because we know that you were facing a more difficult ordeal in raising us. Through this all, you never complained. You just did what needed to be done so we could move forward as a family. Your strength is phenomenal.

While we were growing up, you have not coddled us from reality and instead showed us how to deal with troubles, how to roll with the punches — how to be humble yet resilient in the face of adversity and how to be resourceful when need be. You have taught us by example how to become independent and how to survive, and we were partners through it all. And because of this, we had a head start in life, learning of the secrets to success long before others have realized what they were.

Mom, our relationship is far from perfect and I for one, am far from being the best daughter. I am sometimes stubborn like you and refuse to listen to your advice, but after the requisite I told you sos, I know that you always have my back, ready to give me moral support and guidance so I may get out of any scrape in one piece, ready to face the next one.  You love me in spite of my failings and you never tire of holding out your hand to me, and because you are with me, I know that I will be able to accomplish anything.

CIRCA 1983. My mom (center), myself (left) and my little brother, who’s not so little anymore.

Mom, as times passes, I know there will be less time to spend together, with work, friends and other things that occupy our time, but the best part of the day for me is each morning, when we drink coffee together, talking about how our days went, the people that we met, what made us happy or who made us angry. We bond, we gossip, we share our thoughts and feelings and we take time to become part of each other’s lives.

Mom, know that you’re my best friend and God’s greatest blessing. I may not tell you as often as I should how much I love you but I hope through my actions, I am getting the message through. For the record, if I were to save anyone from a sinking ship, it would be you. If I were to choose anyone to spend all my days on a deserted island, I would pick you (yes, even over Johnny Depp), if I were to give my life in a blink of an eye for any reason at all, it would be for you.

Sometimes, words fail me but know that this is true, for everything you do, and for everything that you are, I count myself the luckiest person in the world for having a mother such as you.  Thank you mom, for being. Thank you for loving me, for your patience, for loving my dozen cats (despite your constant protests),  for your support, your presence, for teaching me how to sink and swim with the best of them, for being my girlfriend, my travelling buddy, my confidante, adviser and everything all rolled into one. I expose my cheesy side in the name of you.

Most of all mom, thank you for your coffee, my day is not complete without it and I know that without having to say the words everyday, it is your way of saying that I will always be your baby and that you love me very much. I, for one, am here to say that no matter how old I get, I will never get tired of being your daughter — even when the time comes that you find it difficult to walk, or become forgetful, when you repeat your words constantly. I promise to be here to hold your hand and stay beside you. We will get through everything together, as we always do.

I love you mom, Happy Mothers’ Day!

Angie

Want to tell your mom how awesome she is? Post your messages on http://www.facebook.com/#!/thankyoumomPH in time for Mothers’ Day.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): A Classic Review

I stumbled upon this 1956 classic while channel surfing the other day and out of curiosity (I knew that there was a Body Snatchers movie in 1993), I stuck with it. Lo and behold, I found out before I did this entry that  there was even another release in 1978 with Donald Sutherland and Jeff Goldblum. So this classic actually is the first of a trilogy, right?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers revolves around a small town in America wherein residents begin to panic as their loved ones start acting strangely. Dr. Miles Bennel (Kevin McCarthy), the town doctor, was at first doubtful of the claims that impostors were taking over the lives of the townsfolk but as more and more people suffer from hysteria, he notices hints of truth in his patient’s claims. Together with his best friend and girlfriend Becky Driscol (Dana Wynter), he discovers that the actual townsfolk are being replaced by emotionless clones who grow from giant pea pods produced by a farm near their community. The creatures also have the ability to absorb emotions and memories once their target falls asleep.

I must say that I was quite entertained with the original version of the Body Snatchers even though it was presented in black and white and was filled with a lot of obvious dialogue and cliches that during the time it was released, must have been quite original. The voice over of Dr. Miles’s thoughts as he worked through the mystery was a bit too cheesy for my tastes but it did not really hamper the overall effectiveness of the movie.

I liked the classic special effects and the ominous orchestra music used when the aliens were chasing them down and and the Twilight Zone-esque feel to the movie when it seemed the escape was impossible for the lead actors. I actually appreciate the classic for scenes that involve mobs because they really go all out with all of the shouting and running. There is no doubt that one is being chased by a mob.

All in all, Body Snatchers, the Classic edition did a pretty great job of making a good movie. It had a sound story, an effective lead character (trivia: Kevin McCarthy is still acting and will appear this year as the Grand Inquisitor in the comedy musical The Ghastly Love of Johnny X, according to his IMDB page), and great pacing and musical score. I think this classic even outclasses the half as*ed efforts of some directors out there who churn out movies for a quick buck (I’m looking at you Hit and Run — worst movie ever! I still get nightmares from its sheer idiocy) without even considering the quality of the movie. Now its time to hunt for that 1978 version…

The Avengers: A Review

Before I begin this review, I would just like to express how much fun I had watching this movie. It was one of the most anticipated openings this year and it was every bit worth the wait. It opened to very high expectations and it did not disappoint.

The plot of The Avengers revolves around a mysterious cube known only as as the Tesseract, which is being researched at a secret facility in order to become a source of sustainable clean energy. When the facility is attacked by Thor’s exiled half brother Loki, SHIELD is called to respond to the scene. However, Loki succeeds in taking the Tesseract and hypnotizing Agent Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard from the Thor movie) to work for him and help him use the energy source to open a portal to space that will unleash the alien race called Chitauri so that Loki may reign supreme on the realm of Earth. As SHIELD leader Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) races to trace the location of the Tesseract, he enlists the help of Earth’s greatest heroes — super solider Captain America (Chris Evans), billionaire genius Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Dr. Bruce Banner a.k.a.The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), thunder god Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and reformed assassin Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson) — and hopes against hope that they may unite under the Avengers Initiative to become the world’s greatest weapon against the forces beyond its control.

From the beginning, I was quite curious to see how director/screenwriter Joss Whedon (Buffy, Dollhouse) would approach the movie. While Whedon has proven his skills in the small screen with hits featuring strong women, I was a bit scared to see how he would fare with a roomful of testosterone loaded superstars. I am glad to report that consistent with the other Marvel features earlier released by the studio, Whedon made the movie not just action packed popcorn movie but also an entertaining watch.

The first thing I liked about the movie was that it did not veer too far away from the original comic book material. Fanboys would find it easy to relate to references about the tensions within the group — Thor vs Hulk, Iron Man vs Captain America — which was featured in some of the comic books. Newbies who know nothing about the franchise will also not get lost as the movie establishes the roles of the characters lengthily in the beginning.
Another thing that I loved was the intelligently written script that provided a very real balance between seriousness and fun, which is really what a movie based on the comic book should be about. It’s like they would go into an elaborate battle scene and then it gets punctuated in the end with a witty one liner or an unexpected gag. Watch out for the Thor/Hulk team up and you would understand what I mean. Third, the chemistry among the stars was great. I loved how the personalities clashed and how the actors stuck to their guns and presented excellent and consistent portrayals of their characters’ roles.

The main stars weren’t the only ones to watch out for because Tom Hiddleston was an excellent main villain although he wasn’t really the most A-list of the roster of villains that any of the Avengers had to face. I must say that I had a soft spot for Loki in the Thor movie but this was further strengthened in this film. Agent Coulson also makes an appearance and I just love this dude. The great thing about the movie was that that it seemed to take out the best of each of the Marvel movies and combine them in one neat package. Even if one watches the films in succession, there is a sense of consistency and continuity despite the fact that the movies were directed by different filmmakers who had different approaches to presenting their features. This perhaps, was owing to the fact that some of the directors and producers of the earlier movies also had an active role in this one, and that was pretty cool.

The graphics was excellent and very fluid and the integration of the old school action scenes with new technology was very refreshing. I was just wondering why the make up artists would want to slap on an uncomfortably huge amount of foundation on Chris Evans, who is hot even if he appears imperfect. Anyways, I loved the updated version of the costumes, especially Thor’s. The Cap’s I’m not so sure about, no matter how much Coulson raved about his suit but these are quite minor and negligible aspects of the movie that should not have been mentioned at all.

All in all, the movie was an awesome, adrenaline pumping, superhero movie that casts a shadow on all other recent releases. It will surely be enjoyed by fans and non fans of the Marvel franchise, I guarantee. A tip, there is an after credit scene at the end that hints at the next Avengers villain, and this one’s a doozy. Another tip, if you still haven’t seen it, go watch it NOW! If you miss it, you miss one the best movies of the year. Hurry! (Note: I am not being paid to write this but I just loved it so much I couldn’t help endorsing)

Red Riding Hood: A Belated Review

As I may have mentioned in some of my reviews, I am a sucker for fairy tales and its various forms and reinventions. I didn’t get to see Red Riding Hood in the movies last year but I still managed to see it on video and frankly, I’m not sure if I loved the modern take of this fairy tale classic originally told by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.

Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia, Jennifer’s Body) stars in this fantasy thriller as Valerie, a girl living in remote village deep within the forest that is plagued by wolf attacks. The villagers, in order to protect themselves, sacrifice their livestock every full moon and stay indoors. Twenty years since its last human attack, the wolf takes the life of Valerie’s sister and the villagers go into a panic. The enraged townsfolk set off to hunt the wolf and kill it, not knowing that the wolf actually takes on a human form and lives among them in the village. Valerie, who is caught in the middle of a love triangle with her childhood friend and the love of her life Peter (Shiloh Fernandez) and her betrothed Henry (Max Irons) is the only one who understands the wolf’s message and is left confused and unsure as to who the beast truly is.

Catherine Hardwicke, director of the first movie in the Twilight saga, takes on the reins for this movie, which cinematography wise could be the twin of tween phenomenon. As is custom, there are two cute guys fighting for the favor of one beauty and the plot thickens with the revelation of secret after secret, and with more and more suspects coming to play with each scene.

I actually liked the story of Red Riding Hood, which was based on the novel by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, and its general sense of mystery. I liked the underlying intrigue that unfolds layer after layer as the story progresses and how the reveal in the end still holds a bit of a shock value but still made total sense. Hardwicke plays the love triangle angle like a pro, perhaps from practice from the Twilight films but there were times in the movie where the scenes drag out too much. Still, the number of potential suspects worked in favor of the film as it kept audiences interested in the the film for the better part of it, so it was a bit of a roller coaster ride for the most part.

Acting wise, I would have to say that great actors such as Gary Oldman and Lukas Haas were underutilized in this movie. I was unsure of how to receive Oldman as wolf killer/priest Father Solomon as he did no more that make announcements to the crowd and scare them silly. Haas also did not have any great moments as he was relegated into a supporting role that does nothing else but cower and kowtow to the whims of Oldman’s character. As for Billy Burke, I liked him loads better as Bella’s rough around the edges dad rather than Valerie’s father, the woodcutter, who seemed never to take a bath throughout the duration of the film. The leads were passable enough but surely their performances will not earn them any acting awards., not in the near future yet.

All in all, I kind of liked Red Riding Hood. I didn’t think it was awesome but it was good enough to spend an hour and 20 minutes to watch without regrets. Visually, it was a treat, as for the rest, it had potential.

I’m looking forward to seeing more fairy tale re-tellings this year. I for one, am excited about Snow White and the Huntsman (because of Chris Hemsworth) and Jack the Giant Killer with Nicholas Hoult, whom I adored in Skins.

The River: Series Review

After finishing the entire series in two sittings, I’m still on the fence about this paranormal/action/horror jointly created by Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli and Michael R. Perry about a crew who sets across uncharcted regions of the Amazon River in a quest to find missing adventurer and TV personality Dr. Emmet Cole, played by Bruce Greenwood.

Six months after the disappearence of famed explorer and TV host Dr. Emmet Cole who sailed with his crew on board his ship/studio the Magus, a beacon from the ship gives his family hope that he is still alive and trapped somewhere in the jungle. The studio pledges to fund the expedition provided that his son Lincoln (Joe Anderson) and wife Tess (Leslie Hope) agree to film every moment of the search to come up with another hit television show. Joined by their old crew and some new additions, they brave the Boiuna, a mysterious part of the river that travelers dare not travel because of the dangers and legends it holds. What happens after is a mix of the supernatural along with drama aboard the boat as Cole’s crew are found one by one, helping to figure out the puzzle of Cole’s true quest and location.

The series goes backward and forward in terms of camera treatments, sometimes, going the traditional route and sometimes going all shaky cam (which I am not a big fan of), which Peli is a master of. Its storytelling also alternates between present day events and found footage left behind by Emmet Cole and his crew. At times, I applaud the storytelling and presentation because of the cinema-like approach but other times, it gets frustrating because the stories drag along in a very slow pace. There are also some elements of the shows Man vs Wild, Exorcist, Supernatural, and the Walking Dead with the presence of spirits, demons and mythical tribes in the jungle — whether that is a boon or a bane depends on the viewers.

I think that more than a horror, the show proceeds like a mystery where every episode leads audiences closer to the eventual revealation, but I still think that the story could have been fleshed out more, like who Kurt really was and what his girlfriend was doing in the research facility, among other things.

My problem with the show is that it succeeds in making audiences care about the characters and getting them involved in the story. The show was overall, well crafted and executed. But after hours of watching to reach the finale, the climax does not quite reach expectations and feels generic and ill contrived.

I’m not looking forward to a second season at all but it was good enough while it lasted, I suppose although I can’t get rid of this feeling of unrest about what could have been.